Raspberry Pi 3 B+ 2gb Ram

The Raspberry Pi mini computer merely keeps getting better. It'south been iii years since we reviewed a major upgrade to the Raspberry Pi line, and it was worth the expect. If you've been wondering if the Raspberry Pi three B+ is a worthwhile upgrade let me answer that with an emphatic yes.

Over again, nosotros're seeing a noticeable jump in performance compared to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B that we looked at in early 2016. Some of the downsides of the Raspberry Pi all the same exist with the Pi 3 B+. Nevertheless, if y'all're looking to tinker with hardware, start programming, or just create an everyday PC for very basic needs, the Raspberry Pi three B+ is an fantabulous pick.

Hardware hacking is a major focus of the Raspberry Pi, but as this is PCWorld we'll mostly business organization ourselves with how Raspberry Pi functions as a PC. That can mean acting equally a basic desktop motorcar, a home theater PC (HTPC), or a tool for learning how to program.

The board nosotros're reviewing hither was produced past RS Components and Centrolineal Electronics.

The basics

On paper, the hardware for the Pi 3 B+ isn't that different from its predecessor. There isn't any actress RAM, the GPU is the same, and the processor's clock speed made a small-scale jump. And however, the Pi 3 B+ performs far better than previous boards.

SoC: BCM2837B0 64-bit system-on-chip with four ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores clocked at 1.4GHz
CPU: 4x ARM Cortex-A53, 1.4GHz
GPU: Broadcom VideoCore IV
RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM
Networking: Gigabit ethernet (via USB channel), 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11b/g/north/air-conditioning Wi-Fi
Bluetooth: Bluetooth iv.2, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Storage: microSD
GPIO: xl-pin header, populated
Ports: HDMI, 3.5mm analog audio-video jack, four USB ii.0, ethernet, Camera Serial Interface (CSI), Brandish Serial Interface (DSI)

The biggest difference between this model and the Pi 3 B is the 200MHz heave in processor speed. This version besides adds a shiny new heat spreader, which helps reduce throttling and maintain that speed boost. It also adds a little "chrome" to the board, as does the new shielding around the wireless circuitry (the niggling metallic box with the Raspberry Pi logo on it).

Beyond the speed boost and new look is the aforementioned underlying CPU architecture. The RAM besides hasn't changed, and here I actually retrieve the board is missing something. Perhaps upping the RAM to 2GB has technical or cost problems we're not aware of, merely it's loftier time this board added a little more volatile memory to the overall package.

The Bluetooth connection gets a point upgrade to 4.2, and the networking capabilities add dual-ring Wi-Fi. The ethernet port is also faster, with two to three times amend performance over its predecessor, but don't say the "One thousand" word. Raspberry Pi's introductory video for the new board says this is not truthful Gigabit ethernet. While the concrete component is a Gigabit port, it'southward continued to the board over a single USB 2.0 bridge, limiting the theoretical maximum throughput to 300Mbps.

There are also a few changes that will matter more to hardware hobbyists than anyone looking for a inexpensive HTPC or retro gaming console. It's Power-over-ethernet gear up, simply you'll need to buy the Lid module, sold separately. Finally, there's a new power direction integrated circuit (PMIC) that replaces the detached components for a smoother power draw.

Since the introduction of the Raspberry Pi 2 model B in 2015, the RPi has been rocking four USB ports, meaning you can connect a expert number of peripherals when necessary. With the Pi three B+, notwithstanding, some users may find that a USB hub with an external power source would be a ameliorate option.

This device is serious most its power needs, and a hub can convalesce that. The days of getting by with whatever old telephone or tablet charger you have lying around are long gone. If yous don't accept a 5V/ii.5 amp wall charger, then you lot aren't going to see the new Pi perform up to snuff—you could fifty-fifty have some issues with data loss. Virtually phone and tablet chargers output one or 2 amps at virtually, which is simply non enough for the Pi 3 B+.

Users on various forums claim that a 5V/ii.four amp charger volition go the job done, but we haven't tested that. For our tests, nosotros used a 5V/3.0 amp charger, and it did a fantastic job.

The benchmarks

We took this board through the usual set up of synthetic benchmarks and browser tests to requite yous a sense of how information technology performs.

For our tests, we loaded upwards the Raspberry Pi with the latest version of the Raspbian Stretch build—released in April 2019—at this writing.

Our first benchmark was Sunspider ane.0.2 using the built-in Chromium browser. Last time nosotros tested this JavaScript benchmark with the Epiphany browser, which was the default at the time. Lower results are better in this case, and equally you can see the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ smoked its predecessors.

The Octane ii.0 test was a trivial closer with the Pi B+ just improving upon its predecessor by 352 points. An incremental improvement for an incremental upgrade.

Adjacent upwards we took a look at the Pi 3 B+ with sysbench. Every bit with our previous tests for Raspberry Pi hardware, we tasked the Pi three B+ to calculate all prime number numbers between 0 and 20,000 using a unmarried processor thread. The Pi B+ was able to complete the task near three minutes faster than its predecessor.

Similarly, when we immune the mini calculator to use all its processing power, information technology completed the same task in 82.2932 seconds—a full 41 seconds faster than the Pi iii B.

The total Pi

The Raspberry Pi is a powerful picayune reckoner for its size and cost, only information technology takes a lot more merely the board to brand a PC. Y'all'll also need a mouse, keyboard, and display to brand it all work. On tiptop of that, y'all'll need a microSD carte loaded with the aforementioned Raspbian operating system or some other Os such as LibreELEC for media streaming or Retropie for classic gaming.

The easiest way to install Raspbian is to use the Noobs installation tool, alternatively you can flash the Raspbian disc paradigm to a microSD using a 3rd-party app such equally Etcher.

2019 05 22 132125 1680x1050 scrot — The Raspbian Stretch desktop on a Raspberry Pi three B+.

Raspbian with the Stretch desktop interface makes the operating system very usable, peculiarly if you choose the version of Raspbian with recommended software. This includes the LibreOffice suite, VLC, a ton of tools to learn and practice programming, the Chromium web browser, and Minecraft Pi Edition.

That said, there are still some issues in 24-hour interval-to-twenty-four hours use with Raspbian. I spotted some unnatural-looking, nigh choppy movement in YouTube videos at times. This is a common problem with all Raspberry Pi devices and probable due to its limited ability draw. Watching Netflix likewise isn't an easy achievement on Raspbian. Having multiple browser tabs or windows open at one time can exist a real problem, but like video streaming that'due south to be expected. Playback for local videos is fantastic, withal.

Minecraft Pi is very basic, and for what it is information technology'southward great; nonetheless, if prospective Raspberry Pi users are accepted to playing on PC (Java or Windows 10) or console, this version will not appeal.

Raspbian also has an app catalog of sorts where you tin can download and install other programs, but It's not the best experience. The buttons aren't well labeled, and at times they didn't seem to piece of work. A better approach would be to acquire how to install programs from the last using the born package director, APT. The command line seems scary, but it's fast and easy once yous learn the few basic commands needed to go things done.

The Raspberry Pi three B+ with a total complement of continued peripherals.

Bottom line

For $35, and the improver of a few peripherals many people already accept lying around, you tin put together a overnice little bones-needs PC for the kids, an entertainment console, or a archetype gaming auto. I'd highly recommend the Pi 3 B+ for whatever budding programmer, because information technology has all the tools necessary to get started.

For elementary and perhaps even middle school students the Raspberry Pi three B+ is upward to the task as a daily driver for homework and bones web surfing—especially if you buy a instance to go with it. Anyone beyond that age will likely exist disappointed with the Raspberry Pi as an everyday desktop.

That's non all a Raspberry Pi can do by any stretch, as we've seen some insanely innovative Pi projects. Across the aforementioned uses, it can also function every bit a home-based server for everything from Minecraft to chat and abode automation.